No Drinking, No Smoking. No raw fish. Unpasteurized dairy is a no-no. No undercooked meats. No raw cookie dough . Tuna?! Deli meats? Ceviche and smoked fish? No. NO CAFFEINE.
There are so many “no’s” when you are pregnant, so many “watch out” and “be careful of” moments, that it’s hard to remember them all. Yes, It can be intense. The mantra of “it’s for the baby, it’s for the baby” helps but many surrogates still ache for sushi and drinks.
The nice thing is when you take care of yourself during pregnancy, you feel better physically as well as emotionally. As a result, there are many “super foods” to combine and discover that it can actually be kind of fun to play around and branch out from your normal diet. Some of these combinations may even become some of your favorite meals!
Let’s look at a few of these amazing foods for women and their developing babies.
Leafy and super green veggies:Broccoli, Kale, Spinach, etc–All really are great sources of foliate, fiber, calcium, potassium and vitamin A. Also, they have stuff you’ve probably never heard of like lutein, zeaxanthin and carotenoids. You can stir-fry it, roast it, make salads, and sneak it into smoothies. Just eat it!
Brightly colored fruits and berries:Blueberries, mangos, kiwis, strawberries, plums, bananas, etc–all packed with good carbohydrates, an alphabet full of vitamins, potassium, foliate, fiber and phytonutrients. Eat them on their own or with yogurt, cereal or pancakes or make smoothies or fruit salads.
Nuts, beans and seeds: Garbanzo (chickpeas), lentils, black beans, soybeans, walnuts, sunflower seeds, etc–These are full of protein, iron, fiber, foliate, zinc and calcium. These little wonders are good brain food and great for snacks, salads, soups, chili, pasta or hummus.
Dairy (pasteurized), eggs, salmon and lean beef:Protein, Vitamins A, D, B6 and 12, niacin, zinc, iron, choline, omega-3’s to name a few and all help with baby’s development. Cheeses, yogurts, omelets, grilled or in a sandwich.
These are just a few “super foods” off the top of our head. Our surrogacy agency, Shared Conception, will point you in the right direction to healthy eating as you journey on your surrogate pregnancy.
The main thing is to just not stress. Take care of yourself and the baby will benefit from it, too. Do your best to get out of bad habits and routines. So much less will weigh on you when you just make a conscious effort to be healthier in what you eat. You’ll have more energy and a clear peace of mind that you are doing all you can not just for you, but for that dependent little life inside as well.
Shared Conception looks forward to hearing from you as you consider becoming a surrogate or an intended parent. And yes, we will even talk “super foods” with you! Give us a call.